David Toland
David Toland
Kansas Democratic Governor nominee?
$24.2K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyDemocratic
Age48 years old (May 27, 1977)
GenderMale
LocationKansas
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BackgroundPolitician
EducationUniversity of Kansas — BA (Political Science)
Notable personal detailsDavid C. Toland is an American politician and economic development executive who has served as the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Kansas since 2021, while also serving as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce. He was appointed Kansas Secretary of Commerce in 2019 by Governor Laura Kelly. Before state government, he led Thrive Allen County in Iola, Kansas, and previously worked in economic development and planning roles for the District of Columbia government. He earned a BA and an MPA from the University of Kansas.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
As Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce, David Toland has promoted tax credits, business incentives, and economic-development programs (including the APEX megaproject incentives and Community Service Tax Credit) to attract private investment and revive communities. His public work emphasizes using tax credits and targeted incentives to spur business recruitment, large private-sector investments, and local development projects.
Healthcare
Supports Medicaid expansion in Kansas and has publicly promoted expanding Medicaid as a way to increase access to care, shore up rural hospitals, and address healthcare workforce shortages.
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Abortion & Reproductive Rights
No clear, explicit public position on abortion was found. Public records show Toland defended small grants his former nonprofit received for maternal health and contraceptive services and he did not join a 2023 coalition of Democratic lieutenant governors focused on protecting abortion access. These items indicate involvement with reproductive-health programs but do not state a definitive stance for or against abortion access.
Climate & Energy
David Toland, as Kansas lieutenant governor and secretary of commerce, has promoted wind and solar development in Kansas and supported clean-energy economic development including recruitment of an electric vehicle battery plant and related investment. His public statements emphasize renewable energy as an economic driver and large-scale clean energy projects while pursuing business recruitment and job growth.
News
David Toland is being mentioned in coverage of Kansas election-law fights, especially the push for proof-of-citizenship voting rules. Recent reports say Kansas’s proof-of-citizenship law was struck down in federal court after it blocked eligible voters, even as state officials continue backing similar restrictions. The broader debate also includes new state efforts to tighten voter registration rules and related election measures.
Trump’s Voter-Fraud Myths Fuel State-Level Crackdowns
Supreme Court's Election Day case could swing the midterms
States plan measures to require voters’ IDs
Kansas Democrats are launching longshot bid to legalize marijuana
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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